'Saleng, you are highly missed' – Pirates fans after heavy defeat to Sundowns

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Orlando Pirates fan are calling on the management to bring back Monnapule Saleng following the team’s 4-1 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns.

Two goals from Lucas Ribeiro, and a goal each from Grant Kekana and Teboho Mokoenawere enough to give the Brazilians all the three points at the Loftus Versfeld on a hot Saturday afternoon. A win sees Downs extend their lead in the Betway Premiership to nine points.

Orlando Pirates want Monnapule Saleng back in the team

Having won back-to-back league matches, the Buccaneers went into Saturday’s clash high in confidence looking to beat Sundowns in the league for the first time in five years. An early goal from Kekana made the mission complicated. WIth the scores 2-0 at half-time, a win looked unlikely but Deon Hotto’s goal brought them back into the match but ultimately Jose Riveiro’s men were not match for Bafana Ba Syle.

Following the defeat, some Pirates fans took to X to demand the return of Saleng. The 26-year-old attacker has not featured for the club in two months.

@khedsmann wrote: “Going into the game without your best 11 is utter madness from Orlando Pirates management. “They don’t want to win the league, Saleng should’ve been back long ago.”

@MT_Ntsonda wrote: “It’s games like this that’ll make you miss, Thabiso Sesane, Olisah Ndah, Thalente Mbatha & Monnapule Saleng.”

“No Monnapule Saleng, no win for Orlando Pirates against Mamelodi Sundowns tomorrow, no Champions league title either,” @DumaMsuthu tweeted a day before the match.

A 4-1 loss to Sundowns has left Pirates’ chances of winning the league hanging by a threat. The Buccaneers still have a game in hand but the damage has already been done. The focus now should surely be on the Nedbank Cup and CAF Champions League.

Saleng remains on the sidelines and it remains to be seen if he would return to action for Pirates in the future.